O2 enters the ring with first ever boxing partnership with rising star Shannon Ryan

O2 broadens sports sponsorship portfolio with its first ever boxing partnership with female fighter Shannon Ryan

• The Watford-born boxer will make her professional debut on Saturday 26 March, live on Sky Sports at the OVO Wembley Arena
• She was recently signed by 258 Management, managed by former Heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua
• Outside of the boxing ring, Ryan’s day job sees her work at O2’s retail store in Watford
• Watch O2 and Shannon Ryan’s partnership announcement video HERE

O2 has secured its first ever boxing sponsorship deal with the mobile operator partnering with Shannon Ryan who will make her professional debut on Saturday 26 March, live on Sky Sports.

The 25 year-old boxer from Watford, who has had previous combat sport experience in kickboxing and taekwondo, is tipped for a bright future and was recently signed by Anthony Joshua to his 258 Management company.

As part of the agreement between Ryan and O2, all of her fight wear clothing including shorts and her team t-shirt as part of her ring walk, will feature the iconic O2 logo.

This will be worn for the first time as she makes her professional boxing debut on Saturday 26 March as part of Boxxer & Sky Sports: Fight Night. She will be trained by Gevon Archilbald and will compete in the super-flyweight division.

Ryan already has an association with O2, which has seen her work at their retail store in Watford for the past 5 years. Through its partnership with Ryan, O2 will use the scale and reach of its business operations to raise her profile in the boxing industry.

The Watford-based boxer has had an extensive and varied career in combat sports, starting in kickboxing when she was five years old through her father who runs a kickboxing gym in Bushey.

She went on to win multiple international tournaments in the sport, including the WAKO Junior Europeans and many others. Ryan was then given a place on the Team GB Taekwondo squad.

Her focus then shifted to boxing and has excelled at amateur level, winning the 2019 Women’s Winter Box Cup and 2018 Alliance Boxing Champion while winning silver at the 2020 London Championships.

Shannon Ryan, said: “I have a great relationship with O2, having worked at the Watford store for 5 years and they’ve been nothing but supportive with my journey. I am truly honoured that they have placed so much faith in me and I am looking forward to now getting in the ring and showing everyone what I am capable of.”

Gareth Griffiths, Director, Partnerships and Sponsorship at Virgin Media O2, said:“Everyone at O2 has been so impressed by Shannon’s commitment to reach this moment in her career. To pursue her boxing dreams, supporting herself by working in our O2 Watford store is an inspirational story. Sport is in the DNA of O2 and we’re proud to be backing Shannon alongside our long-standing England Rugby partnership. We can’t wait for her debut fight this weekend, our whole business is right behind her every step of the way”

Freddie Cunningham, Managing Director of 258 Management, said:

“We are delighted to be working with O2 as Shannon’s first major commercial partner. It’s a really organic partnership with a great story behind it and we can’t wait to see her rise in the sport with their support.”